Windows Knowledge Base

[Security Tutor] How to Remote Desktop Through Company Firewall?

Because Remote Desktop is using port 3389 by default, it is not possible to go through a firewall. So you can use port 443. Because this port is always open on your companies firewall to allow https. (One would assume )

At your home PC:

1) Configure Your pc to allow Remote Connections in your System Properties (windows - Break) tab Remote. Check 'Allow users to connect remote to this computer.
2) (add users if needed)
3) According to Microsoft KB306759 to change

-  Start Registry Editor.
-  Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
-  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber
-  On the Edit menu, click Modify, and then click Decimal.
-  Type the new port number 443, and then click OK. 
-  Quit Registry Editor.

In the registry change
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber to 443 (click Decimal radio button first)

*Configure your firewall to allow traffic through port 443 (when applys)

*Configure your route to forward port 443 to your computer (when applys)

If you have IIS running you have to change the port number of https. because it is already listening on this port.
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cscript.exe c:\inetpub\adminscripts\adsutil.vbs SET w3svc/1/
SecureBindings ":444:"

Or just disable IIS Service

For your PC at work:

According to Microsoft KB304304 you can just type the port after the IP-Address of your home PC.
*Or if you have a Dynamic DNS Client such as No-IP or DynDNS you can type in that address.

Alternatively
You can add the following to the rdp file. (which you can get to click on Save As on the tab General of Remote Desktop Connection)
server port:i:443
Extra tip: to have access to your clients hard disk on your remote desktop, check Disk Drives on the tab Local Resources of Remote Desktop Connection